Civic Education Classroom Research Articles

The Role of Information Convergence Technology in Reshaping the Multiple Directions of Ideological and Political Education in Colleges and Universities

Abstract The integration of information technology and teaching promotes the reform of teaching in colleges and universities, and this paper extracts students’ learning state in classroom learning based on information fusion technology and explores the remodeling role of Civic and Political Education from multiple dimensions. Face expression recognition is used to extract students’ expressions in classroom learning, and their learning status is evaluated by combining head posture estimation. The z-score method is used to quantify the students’ classroom state data in a dimensionless way, and the learning state data with different scales are transformed into numerical values that can be calculated directly to realize the quantification of learning interest. Four dimensions are examined to explore the remodeling effect of civic and political education: students’ cognitive attention, learning emotions, course acceptance, and information fusion. The results show that the classroom state of student 1 under the information fusion of Civic Education has been in the state of conscientiousness, with cognitive attention greater than 0.25, and the cognitive attention values of students 5 and 6 are at [0.1966,0.2822], which indicates that the cognitive attention of students in the classroom of Civic Education is high. Under the dimension of information fusion, the dimension of information fusion of all 6 students is greater than 0.5, which indicates that students can make connections with other knowledge fusion in the Civic Education classroom.

Cathartic Border Pedagogies: The Decolonization of Citizenship in Borderlands Government Classrooms

ABSTRACT This thought piece explored the scholarship that expands and disrupts ideas of citizenship. In U.S. civic education classrooms, citizenship is viewed through the lens of a legal model that does not accurately reflect mixed-status classrooms in U.S.-Mexico border schools. We argue for a cathartic pedagogy that normalizes the discussion of alternatives to dominant citizenship identities in K-20 classrooms. Thus, we drew on borderlands-centered pedagogy, and critical pedagogies of counterstory and testimony to put counter-narration in conversation with cultural citizenship. We invite educators to use any combination of these educational principles to empower students in their Borderlands classrooms.

Oral argumentation and language-aware civic education – a theoretical proposal

Abstract Oral argumentative competence is highly relevant for responsible [mündige] participation in social negotiation processes. Thus, promoting argumentative competence is central to civic education. However, there is a lack of theoretical concepts and empirical findings which can guide action in the civic education classroom. Since argumentative competence is a linguistic skill, the concept of language-aware civic education offers itself as a plausible framework. In this article, the two terms oral argumentative competence and language-aware subject teaching are clarified within the context of civic education. It is shown how subject-specific oral argumentative competence can be fostered through language-aware civic education.

Role of Emotions in the Development of Citizenship and Instructional Methods Utilizing Emotions

시민성의 정서적 측면을 강조하는 경합주의 시민교육론자들은 혐오와 갈등의 시대에 정치적 감정을 활용한 시민교육이 필요함을 주장한다. 본 연구에서는 시민성의 핵심요소인 의사결정 및 민주적 태도 형성에서 감정이 어떤 역할을 하는지 관련 선행연구를 살펴보았으며 이를 바탕으로 학교 시민교육에서 감정을 어떻게 활용할 수 있을지 그 대안을 모색하였다. 그 결과, 감정은 일정한 조건 하에서 신중하고 효율적인 의사결정을 촉진하는 역할을 하며 특히 자신과 타자의 감정적 상태를 파악할 수 있는 역량은 의사결정의 합리성을 제고하고 허위 정보를 판별하는 데 도움이 된다는 점을 확인했다. 또한 다양한 사회 집단에 대한 공감 능력은 혐오와 같은 부정적 감정을 억제하며 타자를 존중하는 민주적 태도를 형성하는 데 효과가 있다는 점을 살펴보았다. 이러한 선행연구 및 경합주의 시민교육론자들의 제안을 참조하여 본 연구에서는 감정을 활용한 시민교육의 대안으로 첫째, 감정의 형성과정에 대한 비판적 탐구, 둘째, 다양한 사회 집단에 대한 공감 활성화, 셋째, 의사결정의 감정적 원천 분석 및 대안의 감정적 결과 예측을 제안하였으며, 각각의 대안을 뒷받침하는 구체적인 수업 사례도 제시하였다.Agonist civic educators who emphasize the affective aspect of citizenship argue that civic education utilizing political emotions is necessary for an era of hate and conflict. This study reviewed previous studies related to the role of emotions in decision-making and attitude formation, which are key elements of citizenship. Based on the review, this study explored the alternatives to utilizing emotions in civic education classrooms. The review of research suggests that emotions play important roles in promoting prudent and efficient decision-making under certain conditions. In particular, the ability to be aware of the emotional state of oneself and others facilitates rational decision-making and fake news detection. The ability to empathize with various social groups is helpful in suppressing negative emotions such as disgust and forming a democratic attitude that respects others. Referring to these prior studies and the proposals of agonist civic educators, this study presented three suggestions to utilize emotions in the civic education classrooms with specific instructional strategies: a critical inquiry into the process of forming emotional responses; activation of empathy for various social groups; analysis of the emotional source of decisions and prediction of the emotional results of choices.

Critical affective civic literacy: A framework for attending to political emotion in the social studies classroom

Heightened political polarization challenges civic educators seeking to prepare youth as citizens who can navigate affective boundaries. Current approaches to civic education do not yet account for the emotional basis of citizenship. This paper presents an argument for critical affective literacy in civic education classrooms. Drawing from concepts and theories in critical emotion studies, affective citizenship, and agonistic political theory, critical affective civic literacy challenges the rationalistic bent of civic education, and offers instructional strategies for educating the political emotions of students. The voices of late-arrival migrant youth enacting affective citizenship are featured in order to help illuminate the contributions of critical affective literacy to social studies research and practice.

To argue or not to argue? The role of personality traits, argumentativeness, epistemological beliefs and assigned positions for students’ participation in controversial political classroom discussions

In a part of the video study “Argumentative teaching-learning processes” in civic education classrooms, students’ participation in controversial political classroom discussions is described and related to personality traits and communicative dispositions. Besides person-related variables, effects of assigned positions for in-class discussion on participation were investigated. Based on research from educational psychology, civic education and the political sciences, it was assumed that the tendency to approach or avoid arguments such as in political discussions is meaningfully affected by five-factor personality traits and epistemological beliefs. Regression and path analyses were conducted on a sample of nine civic education classes at the eighth and ninth grades (N = 221 students) in North Rhine-Westphalia. Results primarily confirmed expectations and revealed that participation in controversial classroom discussions, but not in teacher-led classroom talk, was clearly associated with relatively stable personality traits and dispositions. Students that had to argue a position divergent to their personal view on the controversy were less likely to take part in the discussion. These findings have practical implications for instructors.

The Improvement of Indonesia Students ‘Engagement in Civic Education through Case-Based Learning’

This paper reports on a study of civic education, conducted in a lower secondary school in Indonesia. Civic education plays an important role in students’ engagement in human rights issues, and problems which lead to active participation in society. The Indonesia government has an educational policy for the implementation of civic education in schools through curricula integration. Students study civic education to increase critical appreciation of social and human rights realities. This qualitative study was conducted using multiple methods of interviews and observations in civic education classroom. The researcher worked with the 15 students and the teacher in a secondary school in year 2. The study was conducted in the second semester of academic year 2016. In this study, teachers provided opportunities for students to engage in active learning through discussion and reflections in the case-based Learning. The process not only transformed knowledge, but also developed a mutual respect between teacher and student. The study found that civic education through case-based learning has improved students’engagement and students’ critical. It also provided the teachers to transform teaching practices. In addition, mutual respect were developed between teachers and students through the research process of providing students with freedom in their learning.

Enhancing the Quality of Controversial Discussions via Argumentation Training – a Quasi-Experimental Study in Civic Education Classrooms

Enhancing the Quality of Controversial Discussions via Argumentation Training – a Quasi-Experimental Study in Civic Education Classrooms

Effects of computer-aided and blended teaching strategies on students’ achievement in civic education concepts in mountain learning ecologies

The need to enhance students’ learning outcomes has become integral in secondary schools in developing countries due to increased students enrollment. Research has shown that the strategies utilized in teaching secondary school students have significant influence on their learning outcomes. At present in Nigeria, public secondary schools have not been deploying learning technologies to teach students despite the surge in enrollment. This study, therefore, determined the effects of computer-aided and blended teaching strategies on students’ achievement in civic education concepts in mountain learning ecologies. The study adopted the pretest-posttest, control group, quasi-experimental design using 3 × 2 × 3 factorial matrix. Seventy-eight students from six intact classes in secondary schools in Ondo State were selected for the study and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Five instruments used were: Students’ Knowledge of Civic Education Test (r = 0.78), Academic Ability Test (r = 0.72), Online and Blended Teaching Instructional Guides for experimental groups, Conventional Lecture Method Guide for the control group and Teaching Strategies Evaluation Sheet. One hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data was subjected to Analysis of Covariance, Estimated Marginal Means, and Scheffe’s Pairwise Comparison. There was a significant effect of treatment on students’ achievement in Civic Education concepts (F (2; 61) = 4.93, p < 0.05; η 2 = .14). The students exposed to Computer-aided teaching programme had higher adjusted achievement mean score ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 27.86), than the blended instructional strategy group ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 23.06), and the control group ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 18.69). It was, therefore, recommended that teachers in secondary schools in mountainous locations should explore the benefits of teaching with Information and Communication Technology based strategies in civic education classrooms.

Effects of Two Modes of Active Learning Strategies on School Age Childrens’ Civic Competence in Leadership Value Concepts in Social Studies and Civic Education

The civic competence of school age children has become questionable as a result of inappropriate leadership value manifestations. Active learning strategies have been suggested to serve as a panacea to this problem. However, the use of these strategies in the social studies and civic education classrooms are very rare in Nigerian secondary schools. This study, therefore, determined the effects of two modes of active learning strategies (case study and puzzle-based games) on school age children civic competence in leadership value concepts in social studies and civic education in Delta State, Nigeria. The study adopted the pre-test-post-test, control group quasi-experimental design. Junior secondary students in Delta state made up the population of the study. Multi-stage and simple random sampling techniques were employed in arriving at the sample. A total of two hundred and sixty – five students made up the study sample. Civic Competence Scale (r=0.68), Conventional Lecture Method Guide (r=0.78), Case Study Strategy Guide (r=0.60) and Puzzle-Based Instructional Games Strategy Guide (r=0.67) were used as instruments for data collection. Data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance, Estimated Marginal Mean and Scheffe Pair-wise Comparism at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that though there is a significant main effect of treatment on school age childrens’ civic competence, the puzzle-based games strategy enhanced their civic competence better than the case study strategy. Consistent exploration of these strategies in the social studies and civic education classrooms in Nigerian schools was recommended. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016.v6n2p213

Influence Of The Democratic Climate Of Classrooms On Student Civic Learning

This study is intended to examine the influence of the democratic climate of classrooms on student engagement and learning outcomes in order to find out a more adequate model of learning in Civic Education classrooms. A model is developed for testing with data obtained from a sample of 930 students from schools in North Sulawesi. Prior to the analysis, scales are analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and are calibrated using Rasch Measurement Model Analysis (RMMA). The analysis shows that the trimmed model (Model B) is slightly more coherent and simpler than the hypothesised model (Model A). However, both models indicate that the democratic climate of Civic Education classrooms has significant effects on student engagement, student civic knowledge and interpretation skill, and student concepts of citizenship.

The Temptation of Documentation: Potential and Challenges of Videographic Documentation and Interpretation

Insights into the civic education classroom can be gained through videographic documentation . Videographic material offers, as I argue in this article, great possibilities: Through a reconstructive approach insights into dimensions of civic education such as spatial organisation, symbolic representation and non-verbal communication may emerge. In this way, a deeper understanding of informal political learning in school can be obtained. These aspects have not yet been considered in depth with videographic documentation primarily employed to date in teacher training contexts and lesson evaluation. The case study I present here was inspired by the documentary method and both the potential and limitations of videographic interpretation are discussed in this context. The study also suggests that what is not offered by videographic documentation includes insights into the individual and collective integration of experiences in civic education lessons.

Two Kinds of Political Awakening in the Civic Education Classroom. A Comparative Argumentation Analysis of the “Constitutional Debates” of Two “Found-a-Village” Projects with 8th Graders

This article proposes an adaption of the Toulmin model of argumentation as a congenial method to investigate interactive political learning processes. The interactive learning environment is provided by the “Found-a-Village” project, where students simulate to establish their own social and political system. I will start my essay by introducing the “genetic” village-setting which works as a trigger for the formation of political judgment and conflict resolution skills. Then, I will define claims, grounds, warrants and premises as basic parts of Toulmin’s model. After presenting six types of politically relevant warrants, I will present a four-level-model for the analysis of political learning processes, distinguishing private, public, institutional and systemic perspectives on politics. Later on, I apply this model by comparing two quite different classes during the initial phase of their village-projects: While the “public” class uses the simulation to seriously negotiate their political values, the second class takes a fairly playful and “private” time-out from typical instruction. Both classes, at a different speed, undergo a continual development from unfounded claims and inadequate arguments to the reflection of their own and opposed political value-orientations. The analysis of implicit parts of individual argumentation confirms the method to be helpful for teachers’ diagnosis skills.